The present invention is directed to a device for use in the distribution of successive doses of a fluid product--in particular medicinal or cosmetic--contained in a vial, and more precisely in a vial of the type containing a flexible casing mounted on a rigid support and comprised of a thin wall, flexible air-tight pocket containing the fluid, and of a tubular nozzle for the distribution of the product, said nozzle being connected to a pump which is inserted in the tubular nozzle within the casing; the pump is provided with a variable volume chamber and is equipped with a movable actuating member which can be operated from the outside of the casing thanks to the distortable nature of the pocket. Its movement in a given direction, hereinafter called "forward direction" results in the aspiration of a certain quantity of product from the pocket inside the chamber, whereas its movement in the reverse direction, hereinafter called the "backward direction" results in the delivery of a determined dose of the product (previously aspired) outside said chamber, so that the dose of product is expelled from the vial through the tubular nozzle. It thus comes out of the nozzle in the form of a jet. Furthermore, a resilient release means is provided, which normally acts on the actuating member in the "backward" direction.
The word "fluid product" is intended throughout this specification and claims, to mean any pasty or liquid substance which is capable of conforming the shape of the device containing it, and capable of being expelled from this latter under the form of a jet, whether continuous or made up of individual drops.
A packaging vial having the hereinbefore described features, and a process for manufacturing thereof are the object of a patent application U.S. Ser. No. 08/077,635, filed Jul. 26, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,822 which has been simultaneously filed. The vial is more particularly (but not exclusively) aimed at containing an eye lotion.
The pocket has an elongated shape of which the major axis substantially extends the axis of the tubular nozzle, the bottom of this pocket, which is located at the opposite end of the nozzle, being closed by soldering.
The rigid support includes a cartridge made out of plastic material, provided with a bracket for retaining the nozzle and a pair of centering legs between which the pocket is made fit.
The cartridge comprises means for counting the number of distributed doses, said counting means include two free-rotating gears located near one another of which the first is designed to turn a fraction of a turn each time that a dose of the product is delivered and it is designed to turn the second gear a fraction of a ram, by using an actuating leg, each time it goes completely around; one of the teeth of the second gear is shaped in such a way that it prohibits movement to be continued after a complete turn (minus one tooth) of this second gear.
In a first embodiment of the vial which is the object of the simultaneous Patent Application U.S. Ser. No. 08/097,635, filed Jul. 26, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No., 5,390822 mentioned earlier, which is illustrated in FIG. 1 thereof, the nozzle has a general shape of revolution, while the pump body also has at least one portion with the general shape of a revolution fitted into the nozzle, coaxially with the latter, this portion showing an annular shoulder providing its connection in axial direction with the wall of the nozzle; the actuating member of the pump is moveable in translation according to the axis of the nozzle and of the pump body, and has an annular base providing its connection in axial direction with the wall of the nozzle near the connecting zone of the latter with the pocket, while, in its portion separating the shoulder from the base, the wall of the nozzle forms an axially distortable bellow.
In a second embodiment, illustrated FIG. 20 of this Application, the pump body shows a part which is set at a fight angle in relation to the portion fitted into the nozzle and which serves to guide the actuating member in translation. In this case, the actuating member of the pump is moveable in translation according to an axis which is perpendicular to the major axis of the pocket. The pump body shows a part which is set at a right angle in relation to the portion fitted into the nozzle and which serves to guide the actuating member in translation. This latter has the general shape of a socket which shows a cylindrical part with a closed bottom forming a cylinder, while said part set at a right angle in relation to the pump body includes a tubular cylindrical sleeve forming a piston, which fits into this cylindrical portion. Its is thus the inside of the sleeve and the inside of the cylindrical part define the above-mentioned variable volume chamber. The resilient means consists in a compression spring which has an action on the socket for the lowering of the piston in the cylinder (i.e. in the delivery direction).
This invention is related to a device which enables the use of a vial for the distribution of the product in the form of successive doses, having a well determined volume, for instance for the instillation of an eye lotion in the eye when dealing with a packaging vial for an eye lotion.
An object of this invention is to provide a device which can be used easily and safely by unskilled people, especially elderly patients.
Another object of this invention is to provide a device, the design of which permits its manufacturing on a large or even very large scale, at a low manufacturing cost.
Another object of this invention is to provide a device having a small bulk and which is susceptible of being carded (along with its vial) in the pocket of a piece of cloth.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a device which distributes very precise doses, at the beginning as well as at the end of the use (when the vial is almost empty).
Another object of this invention is to provide a device in which the vial, even when it has already been used, is appropriately protected from the external environment, whether mechanically (against shocks) or at the level of hygiene (against contaminations).
Last, when applied to the instillation of an eye lotion, a major object is that the actuating of the device can be achieved in a smooth way by the patient himself, this action not creating disturbing pressure against his eyeball.
Another object of this invention, still in connection with this application, is to provide a device equipped with the appropriate means for lowering the eyelid before and during instillation, in the region of the eye cul-de-sac, in order to expose this region in an appropriate manner to the jet of product which is expelled from the vial.
It should be noted that it has already been suggested to provide an eye lotion instillation device with a moveable eyelid lowering member, actuated during instillation (see EP-A-0 437 953). Such means are already known per se.
These objectives are achieved, in accordance with the invention, by means of a device comprising:
a receiving housing used for receiving and maintaining the vial in view of the distribution of the product; PA1 a pushing means capable of actuating against said moveable actuating member through the wall of the casing in order to displace it in the "forward" direction, against said resilient release means; PA1 a locking means capable of locking said pushing means in a position in which it maintains the moveable actuating means at the end of its "forward" stroke; PA1 a control means for unlocking said locking means. PA1 the pushing means is moveable according to a direction which is almost perpendicular with the axis of the nozzle; PA1 the pushing means is supported by an articulated tab which is integral with the housing; PA1 the locking means is a fixing nose for said tab; PA1 the device comprises a plunger which can be grasped by the user and which is moveable in translation according to the axis of the housing; PA1 this plunger has a generally tubular shape and surrounds the housing; PA1 this plunger is provided with a rail acting against the pushing means in the so-called "forward" direction when it is moved in a certain direction; PA1 this plunger is provided with a stopping means which acts against the blocking means in the unlocking direction, when it is moved in a reverse direction. PA1 this control device comprises a shutter capable of positioning itself behind and opposite the aperture of the eyepiece when the eyelid lowering member is not used, and to retract itself in use; PA1 when the rigid support comprises a cartridge provided with counting means of the distributed doses, the plunger is integral with a finger actuating said counting means; PA1 the device comprises a closing lid (hood) which can adapt itself on the receiving housing, on the nozzle side, and which prevents the plunger from moving.
Furthermore, a certain number of advantageous, yet non limitating, features are as follows:
In a preferred embodiment, this device is intended for the instillation, in the eye of a patient, of an eye lotion contained in the vial. In this case, said housing is advantageously provided, at one of its ends, on the nozzle side, with a fitting made of a flexible material, which comprises an eyepiece, the central part of which shows an aperture positioned opposite the free end of the nozzle, the contour of which is conformed to match with the contour of the eyeball of the user.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment, this flexible fitting comprises an articulated eyelid lowering member.
The movement of this eyelid lowering member can be obtained easily, by means of a control device which is actuated by the plunger.
Furthermore, according to a certain number of additional features:
Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear from the description and the appended drawings which present a preferred embodiment thereof.